Multiple South African towns and provinces are experiencing a crippling drought. With our water situation getting global attention, will the tourists still want to visit?

The Easter holidays are approaching and while summer and the warm weather is slowly coming to and end, the tourists should still be coming in their numbers. With various parts of the country experiencing a crippling drought, how will international tourists react?

The Western and Eastern Cape are two coastal provinces that are often extremely popular with tourists. The reasons are obvious, from boardwalks to beach fronts, there is always something for tourists to see and do.

While Day Zero may have moved back to 2019 in Cape Town, the low water levels in the two provinces provide a point of concern for any tourist.

Tourism Expert at FNB Business, Charnel Kara, believes that the coastal towns should be more than capable of meeting the demand from increased tourist activity.

“The South African Coastal Line is a popular destination for both South Africans and international tourists. In as much as the water crisis has created concern resulting in some tourism bookings, both provinces continue to manage the situation quite well, with many accommodation establishments reducing and implementing restrictions on water on their own.”

With the Western Cape being one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, the first quarter of 2017 saw foreign direct at R5.7 billion. This period included the Easter season and saw a 1.2% increase in expenditure compared to the 2016 period.

According to Kara, while tourists are a huge deal for the Western Cape, they aren’t that big of a deal when it comes to water usage.

“The impact they will have on water in the province is miniature, and even negligible, it is important to remember that these tourists carry significant weight in terms of their spend and contribution to the provinces economy.”

With Western Cape tourism bringing in over 300 000 jobs and nearly R40 billion to the economy, the answer could be rather simple.

Kara recommends that tourists be encouraged to have a shorter stay in the city and spend the majority of their trip in regions without water restrictions. With mainly the cities affected in both provinces, areas like the Garden Route and Wild Coast become even more important attractions for tourists.

So, there you have it. While the country does have a water crisis, finding the balance between tourism and water management is a doable task.